I Think I Am In Friend-Love With Yumi Sakugawa's New Book.

I have a confession to make.
I think I am in Friend-Love with you.

What's friend-love?
It's that super-awesome bond you share with someone who makes you happy every time you text each other, or meet up for an epic outing. It's not love-love. You don't want to swap saliva; you want to swap favorite books. But it's just as intense and just as amazing.



I Think I Am In Friend-Love With You is one of the sweetest little books I've ever seen and would make a fabulous Valentine's Day gift for anyone with a BFF (of the same sex or opposite gender).



Originally published online in Sadie Magazine in 2012, comic-book strip artist Yumi Sakugawa's charming illustrated tale has been published as a hardcover book by Adams Media.



The 128 page book is perfect if you've ever fallen in friend-love and want to show that person how much you love them...in a platonic way, of course.




PRAISE FOR I THINK I AM IN FRIEND-LOVE WITH YOU

"Look around. You won’t find anything sweeter than this lonely little book anywhere in your immediate vicinity. Unless for some reason there’s, like, a bunny knitting a scarf for a puppy. That might be sweeter. Aside from that, this book is definitely your best bet." —Avery Monsen, coauthor of K is for Knifeball and All My Friends Are Dead

"This is one of my favorite comics ever, a sweet ode to platonic love that will echo through the ages." —MariNaomi, author of Kiss & Tell

"Funny and beautifully drawn, I Think I Am In Friend-Love With You is the bittersweet tale of friendships in the age of social media in which many can relate.” —Esther Pearl Watson, author of Unlovable

"The warmth of Yumi’s soft brushstrokes and vulnerability of her words make me feel less alone in this weird world. I think I am in book-love." —Lisa Hanawalt, author of My Dirty Dumb Eyes

"Yumi Sakugawa’s small, sweet hardcover I Think I am in Friend-Love With You (Adams Media) feels so necessary. Sakugawa’s one-eyed, vaguely socklike protagonist fantasizes a future of book-swapping, Tumblr post–reblogging, coffee-sipping platonic love, but reveals the most simple of needs in the book’s simple black-and-white illustrations.” - Bitch Magazine

“I Think I am In Friend Love With You…chronicles a bashful cyclops with a good old fashioned friend crush. Sakaguwa’s comics, while being hilarious, are imbued with a quiet magic that somehow makes a glowing computer screen as ripe with beauty and mystery as a night sky full of twinkling stars.” - Huffington Post Arts

The comic…expresses all the delightful, little things we hope our best…pals will do for us…. [Yumi’s] work has an eerie, wondrous quality to it, blipped with panels that will make your heart soar and dip and soar again. Themes of space and love pull readers into a pensive world of fantastical creatures.” - NPR’s Code Switch


Yumi Sakugawa is a comic book artist and illustrator based in Southern California. A graduate of the fine art program of University of California, Los Angeles, Yumi is a regular comic contributor for The Rumpus and Wonderhowto. Her illustrations and comics have been featured on Buzzfeed, Lifehacker, PAPERMAG, Apartment Therapy and all over Tumblr. Her short comic story "Mundane Fortunes for the Next Ten Billion Years" was selected as Notable Comics of 2012 by the Best American Comics anthology editors. I Think I Am In Friend-Love With You (Adams Media, Dec 2013 release) is her first published book.

Visit her on the web at www.yumisakugawa.com.



Buy I Think I Am In Friend-Love With You

Eat Your Heart Out. Anatomically Correct Edibles and Art For Valentine's Day.

This week, for Valentine's Day, London will be playing host to romantic pop up with a twist – every single one of the gifts, cards, cakes, cookies and pastries on sale in the Eat Your Heart Out event will be based on anatomically correct hearts.



A joint venture from Miss Cakehead and Medical Illustrator Emily Evans, the sales event features some of the grossest goodies and beautiful finds. The shop will feature a wide range of gifts for those who like their romance with an anatomical twist; the finest arts, crafts and cake makers having been commissioned for the project. Beautiful anatomical heart inspired pieces from jewellery, art prints, cards, embroidery, ceramics to cake, chocolate and anatomical flowers.

Here are a few of the artists and their items featured in the Valentine's Day Pop-Up Event taking place from February 8-10:

Edible Heart by All Mine Patisserie:


Heart Art by Rachel Harmeyer:


Edible Valentine Card from Tasha Marks with artwork by Emily Evans:


Fanny Shorter's Anatomical Heart Print fabric on various items:


Lucy Lyons Heart Box:


Edible Heart from Conjurer's Kitchen:


Heart Art by Geoffrey Harrison (left) and Laurie Hastings (right):


Kate Jenkins' fabulous Knit Heart Art:





Macarons by Miss Insomnia Tulip:

Oreo Fudge Heart with Sugar Blood from Miss Tulip Insomnia:


Various items from Street Anatomy:


Bespoke Barware (left) and Heart Necklace from C B Dahlia (right):


Anatomical Heart Cake Pops by Cake For Breakfast:


Heart Cakes and Cookies by Nevie-Pie:


Tees by La Mort:


The invitation to the event:


It’s being run under the guise of Anatomical Snuff Box, a venture from Miss Cakehead and Emily Evans promoting the education of anatomy using cultural channels.

So, what are you getting her/him?

I'm bummed at all the crap people are posting on blogs and sites for V-day gifts. Just because it's red or heart-shaped doesn't mean it's a great gift! Here are some gifts that truly are unique, memorable, hip or collectible. No crappy gold-filled jewelry or heart soaps on here. Just the good stuff.

Starting with a droog signature vase made from your own signature to naming a star after your significant other, you can purchase all these great gifts just by clicking on their images.

See more of my Seriously Good Valentine's Gifts list at ThisNext.